§ Mr. T. GRIFFITHSasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether it is intended, owing to the size of the Gretna factory, to work different portions of the factory alternatively; if so, whether this proposal will involve greater cost to the country than would be the case if the Waltham factory were retained?
Mr. HOPEAs this factory it about to be transferred to the War Office, any question as to its future working should be addressed to the Secretary of State for War.
§ Mr. A. SHORTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether many of the buildings at Gretna are built on a foundation of peat, and have already given away; and whether he can give an assurance that all the buildings used for the manufacture of explosives in this factory will be able to stand 2263W the strain of continued work without considerable and constant reconstruction and repair?
Mr. HOPEWhile His Majesty's factory, Gretna, was under construction, subsidence was noted in several buildings. Action was immediately taken to remedy this subsidence and to prevent recurrence. The buildings have withstood the very heavy strain of War-time production for three years without further subsidence, and no future trouble is anticipated.
§ Major W. MURRAYasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions the total number of those now employed at Gretna factory, and also the number of ex-service men and the number of women employed there?
Mr. HOPEThe total staff employed at Gretna factory, as on the 28th ultimo, was 1,140, of whom 154 are women and 356 ex-service men.
Factory. Situation. Men. Women. Total. GUN AND PROJECTILE. Ailsa Craig N.P.F Strand-on-the Green, Chiswick … 1 2 3 Birtley Birtley, Co. Durham … 98 7 105 Cardonald N.P F Cardonald, Nr. Glasgow … 26 2 28 Hackney Marches N.P.F. Hackney Wick, E. 9 … 296 19 315 Hunslet Hunslet, Leeds … 48 18 66 Lancaster N.P.F Lancaster … 739 26 765 Mile End N.P.F Cardonald, Nr. Glasgow … 14 2 16 Ponders End Ponders End, Nr. Enfield … 46 4 50 EXPLOSIVES FACTORIES. Avonmouth Avonmouth, near Bristol … 165 33 198 Billingham Near Stockton-on-Tees … 30 6 36 Bradley Huddersfield … 15 3 18 Cae Coch Mine Trefrew, N. Wales … 1 — 1 Colnbrook Colnbrook, Middlesex … 4 — 4 Craigleith Edinburgh … 9 — 9 Ellesmere Port Cheshire … 33 13 46 Gadbrook Northwich, Cheshire … 19 2 21 Greetland Salterhebble, Halifax … 50 6 56 Gretna Dumfries-shire … 986 154 1,140 Hackney Wick London, E. … 18 — 18 Irvine Irvine, Ayrshire … 19 3 22 Langley Near Mansfield, Notts … 7 2 9 Langwith Langwith, near Mansfield … 53 12 65 Litherland Liverpool … 7 4 11 Lytham Lancashire … 8 — 8 Oldbury Oldbury … 3 1 4 Penrhyndeudraeth North Wales … 16 1 17 Queensferry Near Chester … 364 18 382 Rainham Ferry Rainham Ferry, Essex … 5 1 6 Sutton Oak St. Helens, Lanes … 36 9 45 Swindon Swindon … 129 8 137 Trumpington (Coprolite Workings). Trumpington, near Cambridge … 13 2 15 West Gorton Manchester … 1 — 1